Silk Pillowcase: 10 Benefits for Hair, Skin, and Sleep

Being able to sleep peacefully, especially in the summer is like a dream. It happens once in so many nights. We all have tried changing sides, sleeping without a pillow, changing our sleeping location, and whatnot just to sleep peacefully after a tiresome day but it goes all in vain.

So what can we do to get some relaxing sleep even if it is for an hour? We can try changing the fabric of our pillowcase. The cotton pillowcases, most of us often use, play a role in disturbing our sleep by increasing friction between our skin and pillowcase. Also, it accumulates a number of bacteria causing acne and breakouts.

That is why, Silk Pillowcases are preferred these days. But how exactly Silk helps with your sleep and keeps your skin and hair healthy? In this article, we’ll discuss the details of silk Pillowcases and help you know whether they are worth it or not.

What is a Silk Pillowcase?

There are a variety of fabrics available for making pillowcases including cotton, satin, microfibre, silk, etc. But when we talk about the pros and cons, Silk is considered the best fabric to use as your pillowcase.

Silk is made from natural protein threads extracted from silkworms. It is soft and easily allows the passage of air through it. Moreover, the silk fibers have a coating of sericin, a protein that acts as a natural moisturizer, thus retaining the moisture in your skin.

The most commonly used silk for pillowcases is the Mulberry silk and the wild silk. Now, let’s see how it helps your sleep, hair, and skin.

Silk Pillowcase Benefits for Hair

1. Reduces Tangling and Frizziness

Silk pillowcases are smooth compared to the cotton or microfibre we use often. You can feel it just by touching the pillowcase. This smooth texture of silk enables your hair to glide when you change sides or move during your sleep.

The gliding of hair reduces friction, thus preventing your hair from tangling and getting frizzy in the morning.

You can also prevent frizziness by trying out hair masks. For this purpose, check out the Best Face Masks for Dry and Frizzy Hair.

2. Keep Hair Hydrated

Another property of silk that makes it distinctive from other fibers is its ability to retain moisture in your hair. The presence of moisture in hair is necessary to prevent them from getting brittle, so you can use a silk pillowcase to do the job.

3. Reduces Breakage

As we discussed earlier, silk pillowcases reduce friction and prevent brittleness in your hair. It also maintains the necessary hydration so your hair will be less prone to breakage. It means you can help your hair enjoy better health just by changing the fabric of your pillowcase.

Silk Pillowcase Benefits for Skin

A silk pillowcase not only helps your hair but also helps in keeping your skin healthy. Let’s see how.

4. Retains Moisture

We all are aware of how moisture is necessary for our skin to stay healthy and glowing. Cotton absorbs moisture while silk retains it not only for our hair but also for our skin. This means our skin also stays hydrated and you will not have to worry about waking up with dry and dull skin.

5. Regulates Temperature

Normally protein fibers have the tendency to sync with our body temperature. As silk is a protein fibre so it is able to regulate the temperature thus maintaining the normal blood flow in the body, and keeping our skin healthy.

6. Reduces Wrinkles and Creases

Silk is a smooth fabric that also retains moisture. This smoothness is helpful in minimizing the friction between your face and the pillowcase and maintaining the elasticity of your skin.

So, no matter how much you sleep on your silk pillowcase, you won’t have to worry about the creases and wrinkles the cotton pillowcase used to give you.

7. Better for acne, eczema, and sensitive skin

Silk is a preferred fabric in case of conditions that can irritate your skin such as eczema or acne. Its tightly woven soft fibers prevent moisture loss so even if you have sensitive skin, you won’t regret buying it.

For some more skincare tips, you can check out the Top 6 Vitamins in Skincare products and their benefits , to know what products can help your skin glow and nourish well.

Silk Pillowcase Benefits for Sleep

If your skin and hair are happy, your mind is also going to be a bit more relaxed and you are going to sleep right? Let’s see how Silk can improve your sleep.

8. Provides You with a Clean Sleep

When you press your face against your pillowcase, it becomes easy for opportunistic bacteria and germs to enter your body. Silk is naturally anti-microbial so no matter how long you sleep on your pillow, silk will provide you with a clean sleep.

9. Reduces irritation

The smooth surface of the silk pillow will reduce the irritation you get as your face is rubbed against the pillowcase. Therefore, you can easily toss and turn anytime on your silk pillow with no irritating sensation.

10. Best for Those Who Sweat While Sleeping

Silk pillowcases are lightweight and provide a cooling effect. So, even if you are someone who sweats a lot, replacing your pillowcase with a silk pillowcase can prove quite beneficial.

FAQS about Silk Pillowcases

Although silk pillowcases are popular, there are some exaggerations going around so in this section we will discuss how much of what you know is true.

Does Silk Pillowcase Prevent Acne?

Silk has the ability to retain moisture and is anti-microbial but it cannot clear up your acne. If we talk scientifically, there is no evidence present on acne prevention by silk pillowcases but its smooth texture can stop your acne from getting worse as silk reduces irritation.

Is A SilkPillow Hypoallergenic?

Silk is helpful for those with sensitive skin but there is no proof that it acts as a hypoallergen. There are some articles that say it is hypoallergenic but if you have any allergies, it is better to sleep with a mattress or pillow protector to block the allergens.

Can You Benefit from Amino Acids Present in Silk Pillowcases?

Silk contains amino acids and some people think that these amino acids when absorbed by the skin help our skin stay healthy and repair quickly. But, it is totally wrong because your skin cannot absorb amino acids only after contact with your pillowcase.

Does a Silk Pillowcase Prevent Hair Breakage and Split Ends?

A silk pillowcase can prevent your hair from getting brittle and frizzy by retaining moisture and reducing friction. In this way, it can reduce the unnecessary breakage of your hair but it cannot completely prevent it. Also, there is no relation between silk and the prevention of split ends.

Are Silk Pillowcases Really Worth It?

Silk pillowcases are widely used now and seeing your friend, sister, or someone close sleeping on those pillowcases might have urged you too to buy one. But we can’t just buy anything just because someone else has it, right? In the case of silk pillowcases, the following are some pros and cons that can help you determine whether you should buy them or not.

Pros

• They retain moisture reducing dehydration of your body and hair

• The cooling effect enables you to sleep peacefully, the whole night

• Temperature regulation helps you stay warm in winter

• Their smooth texture allows you to sleep better

• Prevents frizziness even in curly hair

Cons

• You might find them a bit expensive

• You need to wash them more often and they require high maintenance

• They require more care as compared to other fabrics

So, if you are someone who can keep up with the high maintenance of these pillowcases, then these are going to be perfect for you. But, if you are on a low budget and don’t seem to have enough time to take care of your silk pillowcase, then you can go for some other options.

How to Choose Your Silk Pillowcase?

Finally, if you have decided to buy your own silk pillowcase, let’s see what points you should consider to buy the best quality silk pillowcase and get maximum benefits.

• Silk pillowcases are either made from wild silk or mulberry silk. Most of the time mulberry silk is used in their making. So while choosing your pillowcase, make sure it contains 100% mulberry. They are available in 3 grades and Grade A is the best quality silk pillowcase with the strongest strands and smoothest fabrics.

• The shopkeeper might tell you to buy a silk pillowcase blended with polyester or other synthetic fibers. In such cases, it is best to avoid them and look for one with no other material than silk.

• Buy the pillowcase that fits well with the size of your bed because no one will want to spend so much money on something that doesn’t fit right.

• Lastly, silk pillowcases are available in a variety of colors, so choose the one that suits your room and bed.

Now, all you need to do is set your worries aside and rest on that soft, pretty pillow of yours.

Conclusion

Cotton or microfibre can easily break your hair, and damage your skin as your hair and skin keeps rubbing against the pillow. To avoid this, a silk pillowcase can prove a better option as its smooth fabric reduces friction and retains moisture. Those with rashes, acne, and eczema can benefit from silk pillowcases as well.

It also regulates the temperature according to your body temperature so you can use it in all the seasons. Although a bit expensive, it provides a number of benefits. To make sure you get all those benefits, buy a 100% silk pillowcase and enjoy your peaceful sleep.